Sonic Underground

Did You Know?

• The Sonic the Hedgehog comic from Archie Comics featured a story in which the Sonic Underground continuity appeared as one of many parallel universes.
• Comedian Chris Hardwick commented on the show's theme song, composed by Mike Piccirillo, claiming that 'that guy sounds like he's trying to win his exwife back.'

Plot

The series takes place in a separate continuity from other Sonic media. Queen Aleena, ruler of Mobius, is overthrown by Dr. Robotnik, who seizes control with his Swat-bots and forces her into hiding. To preserve the dynasty, she separates her three children—Sonic, Sonia, and Manic—after the Oracle of Delphius tells her of a prophecy that she will reunite with them to form the Council of Four and overthrow Robotnik. Robotnik establishes an autocratic government, appointing bounty hunters Sleet and Dingo to do his work, legally turning opponents into robots, and forcing nobles to pay tribute. When the siblings grow up, the Oracle reveals the prophecy to them, and they begin searching for their mother. Robotnik, with Sleet, Dingo, and the Swat-bots, tries to capture them and prevent the prophecy. The Oracle gives each sibling a medallion that can change into a musical instrument and weapon: Sonic's becomes an electric guitar, Sonia's a keyboard that produces smoke, and Manic's a drumset that controls the earth and deflects laserfire. All medallions can also fire lasers. The siblings use them to fight Robotnik and as instruments for their underground rock band, Sonic Underground.

Characters

Sonic, the eldest sibling, is voiced by Jaleel White (speaking) and Sam Vincent (singing). He is the lead singer of many songs. His medallion turns into a guitar that fires laser blasts. He can outrun danger, loves chili dogs (which makes him a bit overweight), and fears water because he cannot swim. He wears anti-gravity sneakers that let him hover while running. Sonia, the only female hedgehog of the group, is voiced by Jaleel White (speaking) and Stevie Vallance (singing). Raised by an aristocratic foster family, she has an upper-class mentality, hates getting dirty, and is skilled at gymnastics and karate. She possesses superhuman strength, a photographic memory, and the ability to spin cyclonically. Her medallion becomes a keyboard that fires lasers or creates pink mist. She rides a pink motorcycle as fast as Sonic's running and Manic's hover board, does research on Robotnik's plans, and provides technological innovation. She shows romantic feelings for her childhood friend Bartleby and others, including Knuckles during the Flying Fortress saga. Manic, the youngest sibling, is voiced by Jaleel White (speaking) and Tyley Ross (singing). He is calculating and sarcastic, raised by thieves, and is a master lock-pick. His siblings initially disapprove of his thieving, but value his skills. He lacks Sonic's speed and Sonia's spin-attack, relying entirely on his medallion for superpowers. He is the drummer; his medallion turns into drums that cause earthquakes, and the Oracle says his drums are the most powerful. He uses a hover board as fast as his siblings' vehicles. His medallion's string is blue.

History

Production of Sonic Underground began in early 1997, around the same time as development of the Dreamcast and Sonic Adventure. The show bible was written as early as March 1997, and the series was publicly announced by December 1997. Two episodes per week were produced, and writers felt they lacked time to tie everything together, limiting coherency to a three-part Origins saga. DIC used cattle calls to generate episode plots: about twenty unaffiliated writers were brought in to learn the characters and brainstorm plots, with one or two selected. According to Mike Piccirillo, when he wrote songs, no storyboards existed, so he worked only from scripts that often indicated the moral or lesson for each song. Animation was outsourced to Hong Ying Animation in Taiwan, with storyboards and main title animation done in Madrid, Spain by Milimetros, S.A. Pre-production services were by Le Studio Ellipse, layout by Arles Animation, and video/audio post-production by Les Studios de Saint-Ouen. Sega of Japan had an active approval role, forcing DiC to reanimate characters with five fingers instead of four due to the Japanese association of four fingers with the yakuza. While it was once believed 65 episodes were made with only 40 aired, writer Ben Hurst stated in a 2008 chat that only 40 were planned from the beginning. The series premiered in France on 6 January 1999 on TF1's TF! Jeunesse block on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Home media

In the United States, Sterling Entertainment released a VHS/DVD titled Dr. Robotnik's Revenge in July 2003, containing three episodes and a bonus Super Mario Bros. episode on DVD; NCircle Entertainment re-released it in March 2007 without the bonus. Sterling's Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and The Legend of Zelda DVDs also included Sonic Underground episodes as bonuses, which NCircle reissues excluded. Sterling's Sonic Christmas Blast VHS/DVD included three episodes (two on VHS). Shout! Factory and Vivendi Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in two volumes: Volume 1 on 18 December 2007 (first 20 episodes on three discs, with interviews, an animatic, concept art, and a bonus audio CD of eight songs), and Volume 2 on 17 June 2008 (remaining 20 episodes and another audio CD). NCircle released several single DVDs with four episodes each from 2007 to 2010, re-released Volumes 1 and 2 in 2013 and 2017, and released a complete four-disc set on 25 July 2023. In the UK, Anchor Bay UK released two volumes on 31 May 2004 and two more on 16 August 2004; remaining volumes were released in a 10-DVD boxset in October 2004. Avenue Entertainment released two budget DVDs in July 2005. Delta Home Entertainment released a complete 4-disc set in June 2008 with bonus features from the Shout! Factory set, and also released discs separately as Beginnings, Who Do You Think You Are, When in Rome, and Country Crisis in August and September 2008.